The business asks to settle the issue with queues at the Ukrainian-Polish road border

13/ 09/ 2022

The issue of increasing the efficiency of the automobile checkpoints operation on the border of Ukraine and Poland remains extremely relevant for business. It is of high importance to increase the transport potential of checkpoints and significantly reduce the time of passing control at the border, because currently, in certain places, queues can reach up to 60 kilometers. Business surely welcomed the completion of the reconstruction and the start of full operation of the updated checkpoint Krakivets - Korchova, the introduction of a pilot project regarding the registration of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of up to 7.5 tons at the checkpoints Zosyn - Ustylug, Grushiv - Budomezh, Ugryniv - Dolgobychuv, registration of only trucks and buses both for entry and exit with a total weight of more than 7.5 tons at the checkpoint Yagodin - Dorogusk. Indeed, during the first two weeks after the launch, the situation at the entrances to the Yagodin checkpoint began to improve. However, already in August, there was a sharp increase in the queue of trucks leaving Ukraine. According to the information from the Ukrainian side, a significant delay is currently occurring at the stage of veterinary and phytosanitary control by Polish services. Thus, according to the data of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, before the full-scale invasion, the number of trucks passing this control per day was 80 units, and recently this indicator was 25 or less. Moreover, during the last 3 weeks, the Polish phytosanitary and veterinary services stopped working on Saturdays and Sundays, and from September 2022 they stopped working around the clock at all checkpoints. On the Ukrainian side, the Ministry of Infrastructure has already made proposals to the Polish side to improve the situation. In particular, regarding the implementation of preliminary sorting of cargo vehicles depending on the type of cargo for better organization and increasing the productivity of the work of Polish control bodies, the allocation of additional checkpoints for the passage of empty trucks, the cancellation of control of trucks transporting rapeseed for the production of biodiesel and those that transit through Poland in the direction of export from Ukraine, if they are pre-sealed, etc. Meanwhile, currently, despite the launch of the grain corridor, the situation with logistics in Ukraine remains extremely difficult due to hostilities. In this regard, the uninterrupted operation of those routes that remain available is critically important for business. Undoubtedly, businesses operating in Ukraine and the country, in general, are sincerely grateful to Poland for unprecedented support in such a difficult time. On behalf of the business, the European Business Association appeals to the Polish side with a request to contribute to the further settlement of the situation at the borders. In particular, to increase the number of inspectors who carry out veterinary and phytosanitary control at checkpoints, not to count empty cars as those registered and launch the extraordinary departure of empty trucks from Ukraine to Poland as soon as possible(Hrushiv-Budomiezh, - Uhryniv - Dolgobychiv - Smilnytsia-Krostsienko). We hope for a positive reaction from the Polish border services, in particular regarding the acceleration of veto and phytosanitary control. We look forward to the continuation of the dialogue and prompt settlement of the issue!

Business surely welcomed the completion of the reconstruction and the start of full operation of the updated checkpoint “Krakivets – Korchova”, the introduction of a pilot project regarding the registration of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of up to 7.5 tons at the checkpoints “Zosyn – Ustylug”, “Grushiv – Budomezh”, “Ugryniv – Dolgobychuv”, registration of only trucks and buses both for entry and exit with a total weight of more than 7.5 tons at the checkpoint “Yagodin – Dorogusk”. Indeed, during the first two weeks after the launch, the situation at the entrances to the Yagodin checkpoint began to improve. However, already in August, there was a sharp increase in the queue of trucks leaving Ukraine.

According to the information from the Ukrainian side, a significant delay is currently occurring at the stage of veterinary and phytosanitary control by Polish services. Thus, according to the data of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, before the full-scale invasion, the number of trucks passing this control per day was 80 units, and recently this indicator was 25 or less. Moreover, during the last 3 weeks, the Polish phytosanitary and veterinary services stopped working on Saturdays and Sundays, and from September 2022 they stopped working around the clock at all checkpoints.

On the Ukrainian side, the Ministry of Infrastructure has already made proposals to the Polish side to improve the situation. In particular, regarding the implementation of preliminary sorting of cargo vehicles depending on the type of cargo for better organization and increasing the productivity of the work of Polish control bodies, the allocation of additional checkpoints for the passage of empty trucks, the cancellation of control of trucks transporting rapeseed for the production of biodiesel and those that transit through Poland in the direction of export from Ukraine, if they are pre-sealed, etc.

Meanwhile, currently, despite the launch of the “grain corridor”, the situation with logistics in Ukraine remains extremely difficult due to hostilities. In this regard, the uninterrupted operation of those routes that remain available is critically important for business. Undoubtedly, businesses operating in Ukraine and the country, in general, are sincerely grateful to Poland for unprecedented support in such a difficult time.

On behalf of the business, the European Business Association appeals to the Polish side with a request to contribute to the further settlement of the situation at the borders. In particular, to increase the number of inspectors who carry out veterinary and phytosanitary control at checkpoints, not to count empty cars as those registered and launch the extraordinary departure of empty trucks from Ukraine to Poland as soon as possible(“Hrushiv-Budomiezh”, – “Uhryniv – Dolgobychiv” – “Smilnytsia-Krostsienko”).

We hope for a positive reaction from the Polish border services, in particular regarding the acceleration of veto and phytosanitary control. We look forward to the continuation of the dialogue and prompt settlement of the issue!